TRUMBULL COUNTY OHIO - OBIT: MASON, Harrison H. (d. 1899)
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Virginia Burke
vyburke@earthlink.net
January 20, 1999
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I inherited this newspaper clipping, reporting the death of Harrison
H. Mason on December 31, 1899 (newspaper unknown):

"HONORED BY HIS TOWNSMEN.
============
Death of Harrison H. Mason, One of Niles' Best Known Citizens.
============
Was First Postmaster.
============
Widely Known for his Generosity and Probity - A Great Friend of the
Family of President McKinley.
============
The death of Harrison H. Mason, one of the best known residents of
Niles, and grandfather of E. Mason Wick of the Dollar Savings bank,
occurred at Niles.
The following account of the life of the deceased is from the pen of
The Telegram's Niles correspondent:
While longing to see the new year ushered in Mr. Harrison H. Mason of
this city died at his home on Vienna avenue at 4 o'clock last Sunday
morning.  His life slowly ebbed out with the old year and a few hours
before its departure he fell into a peaceful sleep, never again to
awaken on earth.  In the demise of Harrison H. Mason the community and
the Western Reserve loses one of its earliest and most honored sons
and its most noble lives.  Had he lived until Jan. 3, 1900 he would
have passed his eighty-first milestone.  During his entire life and
business career no one was ever more fair and upright with his fellow
men than he.  His integrity can never be surpassed.  He was the soul
of honor and always shunned to practice any of the sly turns indulged
in by many many business men where financial gain resulted.  He
accumulated slowly in this way, but left an honored and spotless name
by so doing.  Another of his qualities was that of coolness and
self-control.  He took the world just as it came, and no matter what
came about he never lost possession of his head.  The deceased was
born in Maria, Essex county, N.Y., in 1819, and worked on his father's
farm, the father being a judge as well as a farmer.  The Mason family
decided while the deceased was a boy to move west and came by wagon to
Ohio, settling at Niles.  With the family also came Hiram T. Mason, a
brother of the subject of this sketch, who preceded him in crossing
the river but two weeks ago.  The father operated the first general
merchandise store in Niles and the business was taken up later by his
son, Harrison, who was the second merchant to dispense wares to the
community.  He was the first mayor of Niles and also received the
first appointment as postmaster to be made. In 1842 he was united in
marriage to Miss Adaliza Kingsley of Andover, and their journey
through life, while full of cares, has been a joyous one.  His aged
life's partner now survives him.  From the time of his marriage he
continued to reside in Niles with the exception of three years spent
in the wholesale grocery business in Cleveland, the firm being known
as Mason & McDowell, and their store being located at the corner of
Bank and Frankfort streets.  The deceased is known by many of the
older Cleveland merchants.  During his residence here he has served in
many honored capacities.  Besides being the first mayor and postmaster
he has served as a member of the school board and as township
treasurer.  He always took an interest in banking matters and was
president of the First National bank at the time of its organization
in 1890.  At the time of the organization of the City national bank in
1895 he was elected president of that institution, and served in that
capacity to the day of his death.  He was also postmaster again during
the Harrison administration.  He was many years a general storekeeper
and later was interested in the drug business with a Mr. Campbell.  No
one in this vicinity was likely as close a friend of President
McKinley's parents as H.H. Mason. He ran a general store where the
present postoffice is located while the president's parents lived a
few doors below at the site now occupied by the City national bank,
where President McKinley was born.  Jim McKinley, a brother of the
president, clerked in his store and William McKinley, when a boy of 6
years, and used to crawl into his sugar barrels and play "I spy" in
his wood shed.  When the Niles delegation during the last campaign
went over to Canton to pay their respects to the illustrious man who
received his birth in this city, the president said in his speech that
there was but one face among the large mass of his former townspeople
that he recognized and that was H.H. Mason, who, despite his age, was
one of those assembled.  He was called into the McKinley home and a
warm welcome was extended him.  Several months ago when the
president's train went through Niles H.H. Mason was at the depot and
heard his speech.  He leaves to mourn his loss a wife, three sons -
W.H. Mason, a prominent business man of Chicago, H.H. Mason, Jr., of
Cleveland, and Charles Mason of Niles, and two daughters, Mrs. R.J.
Wick of Youngstown and Mrs. W.K. Miller of Chicago.  He was a member
of the Masonic fraternity and was believed to be the second oldest Elk
in America.  Funeral at the late home on Vienna avenue at 1:30
standard time Wednesday afternoon.  It will likely be in charge of the
Masonic order."
-----------------------------------
Obituary From the Niles Daily News:

"H.H. MASON.
============
The First Mayor and The First Postmaster Of Niles Passes Away
============
IN A PEACEFUL SLEEP.
============
He was the First Niles Mason and the Oldest Elk on Earth.
============
William McKinley who is Now President of the United States and
Commander in Chief of Army and Navy Worked for Him When a Boy. - He
Had Held Many High Offices and was One of the Most Respected Men in
the State of Ohio.
============
Sunday morning at 4:25 o'clock Mr. H.H. Mason, the first mayor of
Niles, the first postmaster of Niles and the President of the Niles
City National bank, passed peacefully away.  He had been ill for some
time and the news of his death had been expected for some days but
nevertheless when the sad news came it caused sorrow to reign in the
hearts of all who knew him.  He was the first man to be initiated into
the secrets of the Masonry in Niles and probably the oldest Elk on
earth.  His pall bearers at the funeral tomorrow will be men who are
Masons and also Elks.
H.H. Mason was born in Essex County, New York, eighty-one years ago
tomorrow, the day of his funeral.  He received his education in a
district school and was reared to the occupation of a farmer.  In 1835
he went to Warren and secured a position as clerk.  After a few years
in Warren he came to Niles and entered into business as a merchant. 
In 1864, Mr. Mason and his family removed to Cleveland but returned to
Niles in 1872 and in a short time was elected cashier of the Citizens'
Savings & Loan Association.  He held this position until 1880 when he
was appointed postmaster.  Years before when he kept store in Niles
and a boy named William McKinley worked for him, he was postmaster of
the village and the first man to act in such a capacity.  After his
last appointment he served until 1889.
In January 1890 he was elected president of the Niles First National
bank and he filled this position until 1898.  Later he became
president of the City National bank which position he occupied to the
day of his death.
He was married in Niles February 22, 1842 to Adeliza Kinsley.  Mrs.
Mason was born in Washington county, New York.  The following children
with the mother mourn the loss of a devoted father: Mrs. W.K. Miller,
Kansas City, Mo., Mrs. R.J. Wick, Youngstown, O., W.A. Mason, Chicago,
Ill.; Charles Mason, Niles; Harry Mason, Cleveland.  
The funeral will take place from the residence Wednesday afternoon at
one o'clock.  Rev. D.R. Moss will officiate."

Submitted by Virginia Burke


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